SITUATION

Shinhan Financial Group has consistently sponsored the Korea Ski and Snowboard Association and rookie athletes in snow sports, including Choi Gaon.

At the 2026 Milano Cortina d’Ampezzo Winter Olympics, athlete Choi Gaon made history by becoming the first South Korean to win a gold medal in a snow sport and the youngest gold medalist in that discipline. We sought to incorporate Shinhan Financial Group’s brand values and message by drawing a parallel with Choi Gaon’s “third time’s the charm” story—a narrative that resonated deeply with many due to her determination to never give up, even in the face of injury concerns. Furthermore, despite the many constraints faced as a non-Olympic sponsor, we sought to build an even stronger image association between “Choi Gaon” and “Shinhan” by demonstrating Shinhan Financial Group’s sincerity in sponsoring less popular sports and expressing our heartfelt support for Choi Gaon.

SOLUTION

By revisiting Choi Gaon’s dramatic path to victory and conveying the athlete’s mindset at the time in a straightforward and sincere manner, we sought to reflect the values that Shinhan Financial Group upholds.

After taking a major fall during the first run of the finals, “DNS” (Did Not Start) that indicates withdrawal appeared on the scoreboard prior to the second run; however, Choi Gaon refused to withdraw. In this campaign, we redefined Choi Gaon’s indomitable spirit by reinterpreting “DNS” as “DO NOT STOP,” conveying her mindset and philosophy on life—“If you don’t give up, you can succeed”—to foster authenticity and resonate with the audience. Given the importance of timing for this campaign, we minimized production time by appropriately utilizing various archival photos and videos from the athlete’s childhood alongside the shoot, and were able to incorporate a message that runs through Choi Gaon’s entire athletic career into the campaign.

By concluding with the story of athlete Choi Gaon who overcame countless moments when she wanted to give up and achieved her dream by “refusing to give up,” and the message that Shinhan Financial Group supports Choi Gaon and everyone striving to achieve their dreams, the campaign successfully reinforced Shinhan’s brand philosophy.

RESULTS

Within two weeks of its release, the spot surpassed 7 million cumulative views, and a consumer survey found that brand favorability increased by 42% after viewers watched it.

By launching the first campaign featuring athlete Choi Gaon who rose to instant Olympic stardom as the first and youngest gold medalist, we were able to capitalize on the timely momentum and maximize brand association with Shinhan Financial Group. The campaign has garnered widespread praise for the sense of immersion created through Choi Gaon’s inspiring story and impactful copy and visuals, with many viewers responding that it gave them great courage.